Favorite Things, Tied with String

This year, instead of a card I decided I'd send a box filled with some things I like - basically a box I imagined I'd send to myself - filled with "some of my favorite things."  (Yes, the hills are alive)

 

First, I baked a little: my favorite Cowboy Cookies full of dark chocolate, walnuts, oatmeal and coconut.  Then a Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti which I like most for the contrast of the walnuts cross-sections with the dark cookie surrounding it.

I supplemented my baked goods with some Macaroons from Peter Sciortino's Bakery in Milwaukee.   I also like Glorioso's but my Macaroon aficionado Angela and I go either way and that's what she brought with my delivery from the city.

 

I finished the grouping off with Loacker's Dark-Noir chocolate wafer cookies available at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or online.  I prefer to eat these Italian treats by placing one on my tongue and letting the wafer dissolve away leaving only a warm morsel of rich, warm chocolate.  And then compliment with a swig of coffee?  Addicting.

 

I packed them in boxes and envelopes in various arrangements.  This was most popular. 

 

This is the second shipment.  (Is that your name?)  I'd love to send more, but my two elves quit after only one night. 

Happy Holidays Everyone.

Prints, Charming

Two great things:

1. The "Golden Rule" as interpretted by a designer and his son.  His sons drawings are rearranged to create this pleasant, graphic print.  Perfect for a kids room.  Get it here.

2. Yee-Haw Industries is a letterpress printmaking and design shop. They have a great Etsy shop featuring some gorgeous antique and vintage style cards, tees and more.  (The pea card is my favorite.)

Pairs in Place

Here's how our install turned out.  Read this about the project first.

Three Pairs.

 

This is the raw table Victoria's husband Tom built.

We glued hard foam to a piece of plywood and screwed

that to the tabletop.  This is the base we developed so

the fruit could be 2-dimensional yet free standing.

 A school group stopped to investigate the finished fruit.

 The approach from the upper level/Bradley Collection.

The backside reveals the naked cross-section of the fruit.

The two lemons were voted out during installation but we were still pleased with our results.  Our intent was to create the illusion of a three dimensional still life in a two dimensional format (in response to the photo gallery).  The Art of the Table event begins tomorrow for four days of art-inspired tabletop creations.  Click here for more info.

Fruits at the Table

Been working on the table setting for Art of the Table which is already next week.  My friend Victoria and I have been throwing ideas around for the past 6 weeks.  Just finished these images of the fruit that I mocked up as they might look on the table.  The black line will be the drape on the table.  The pear will be tallest at 36" among the other fruits in our over scaled still life.  Each fruit will be be mounted individually and carefully placed amidst the 96" x 14" table - long and skinny.  The fruit is big and thin.  Let's see if this works.

Schedule: Print on Monday, set up Wednesday at 11am.  Ready, set, go.

In the meantime, get tickets for Alberto Alessi, his lecture is Thursday, opening day of the event.

Experimental Baking

My favorite cookie, Barbara Bush's Cowboy Cookies has a new sibling.  Midway into mixing a batch of Mrs. Bush's recipe I realized I was fresh out of oatmeal.  In a pinch and much too late for an oatmeal run, the decision was made to omit the grain at an attempt for something new.  With that, I left the nuts out as well but then went to add the chocolate chips and only sourced half of what I needed.  I decided it needed another ingredient as a replacement and to boost the chocolate flavor.  Cocoa powder!  Not only would it transform the flavor but completely transform the cookie aesthetically.  Success.  They baked flat and once cooled become a chewy chocolaty disc.  A little dusting of confectioners sugar completed the transformation.  And the cinnamon inside remains a complete surprise!

COW CHIP COOKIES

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 Tbsp. Baking Soda

1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

3 sticks butter, softened

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla

1.5 cups chocolate chips

2 cups coconut

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients) in a bowl.  Next, cream butter until smooth.  Add sugar, then eggs and vanilla.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  Slowly add dry ingredients.  Mix well.  

Mix in chocolate chips and coconut.  Drop 1.5" balls onto cookie sheet.  Slightly press with heal off palm.  Bake for 10-12 minutes rotating half way through.  Let cool for several minutes then transfer to cooling rack.  Dust with confectioners sugar once cooled. 

Eau So Pretty

Just ordered one of these: Bobble, the reusable, patented water bottle that filters as you drink.

Designed by Karim Rashid, these plastic bottles feature an activated carbon filter, are constructed of BPA free plastic and made in the USA to reduce their carbon footprint.  Comes in a rainbow of colors.  Buy here.

Nice Package

Promo packaging from English design boutique ilovedust. Yum, yum, yummy! (Has nothing to do with food, mind you)

Signature metallic is an unexpected surprise inside.

Oh, and how about a customized Eames Chair? Okay!